Can anyone tell me about a nice hotel in the historic center of Santiago de Compostela? Prefer close to the Cathedral. Thank you

ME! ME! ME! OH ME!! hehehe... I so rarely get to post/recommend HOTELS (as opposed to hostels/hostales).

So you want a "nice" hotel in Santiago de Compostela, eh? Last spring/Semana Santa, my ladyfriend and I got a good deal ($75 US double) through a local Madrid Halycon travel agent at Hesperia Compostela . I took an OVER ABUNDANCE of photos of this castle-like hotel. VERY nice. LARGE sitting rooms on each floor, small-ish reception area, but very well located and there's an underground car-park on the adjacent plaza.

In the main photo of the hotel on their website , we had a room 2 windows to the left of the "tower", top floor.

It's about a 5 minute walk to the cathedral and OH-SO-MANY restaurants between the two. WOW! MY GOD! I LOVED Santiago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GREAT food, ancient, GREAT food (oh.. I already said that), beautiful cathedral (enter the claustro if you like.. impressive - entrance fee required). I should really post some photos of that trip somewhere, eh? Hmmm... I know. I know.. NOW?

EDIT: Here you go! HERE on my ClubPhoto account (Galicia2002: Part 1) you can see several exterior photos of the hotel I mention above. I also took SEVERAL (too many) interior shots too, but only #680 is included -- this is one of the sitting rooms located on each level adjacent to the elevators. Let me know and I can email you those interior shots if you're interested in them.

Read all about my Galicia trip in my journal @ http://www.MadridMan.com/madrid02.html .

Have a GREAT time in Santaigo de Compostela and Spain!!!!! I KNOW you will.

Saludos, MadridMan

I have another great recommendation for a hotel that is charming, inviting, and literally you can see the cathedral from your room window. It is only 50 meters from the cathedral, just behind the parador and 1/2 the price! I paid 70 euros a night for a double room and my friend paid 55 for a single room.

Hotel As Artes

It is ran by a married couple and only has 8 rooms. The rooms don't have numbers, they have names of painters, artists, etc... and the decor matches the name of the room! Every room has at least one typical stone wall. The rooms are a good size, clean and you even get a nice terry bathrobe. They can arrange for a very inexpensive massage at the front desk too for those days you need extra pampering. There isn't a restaurant but a very nice buffet for breakfast in a charming sitting room. There is no parking but a lot within a block. You can drive up to the entrance to drop off luggage but the hotel is in a no car zone.

You can't beat the location and charm of this little 8-room hotel. I met a nice couple who were staying at the parador and when they saw where I was staying they wished they had known about it.

Wherever you stay in Santiago you will be blown away by this city. The people are so warm and friendly, the area is so untouched by mass tourism and the cathedral was a religious experience for me.

Thank you MadridMan!! You sound so enthusiastic about Santiago de Compostela that I have decided to extend my stay. Your report on your trip around Galicia is superb: I will follow your steps.
Thank you CathyM. The place you recommend looks charming. I will surely take a look.

buseca writes: Hostal Hogar San Francisco (HHSF) is a working Franciscan Convent (Frailes, si; Monjas, no) about 200m from the Basilica. If you are a couple, it has one very special room, the Cotolay room, named for a carbonero who helped Francis of Assisi build the Convent. I suspect that it is the room reserved for the Provincial when he is visiting. It's a huge room with a full bath ensuite, a Queen size master bed and a sofa that can be made up to another (single) bed. The rate for that room is just a bit less than the standard room rate at Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos. I have tried both and I preferred the Cotolay room at HHSF.

The standard rooms at HHSF are spartan. I don't particularly recommend them although they do have a wet bar and TV.

The last time I stayed at the Parador, breakfast was not included in the room rate. They do have an excellent buffet breakfast and 'walk ins' are welcome. It's a bit expensive.

Eddie, while the standard rooms at HHSF are spartan, I imagine the experience of staying the night(s) in a convent must be really something.

Along the same lines, there's Hostal Seminario Mayor in the Seminario San Martín Pinario, just a stone's throw from Santiago's cathedral.

buseca, I don't know if it qualifies for your request for "nice hotels in Santiago de Compostela" but this one is certainly unusual... AND MEMORABLE!

It's only open during the summer months and the website doesn't show any interior views either, but I too would imagine it to be spartan. The outside is JUST beautiful.. I have many photos taken from the steps of this place.

Here's their description of the place:
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"The monastery San Martin Pinario is located opposite the north door of the Cathedral in Azabachería square and belongs to the historical monumental centre of Santiago de Compostela.

"The Seminary is open for tourists in summer from July to September and provides 126 rooms, all with private bathrooms with shower."
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Rack Rates:
Bed & Breakfast
TRIPLE ROOM 55,50
DOUBLE ROOM 42,12
SINGLE ROOM 27,30
LUNCH OR DINNER 8,75
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Anyone else have ideas/suggestions? Have fun, buseca! You'll ABSOLUTELY LOVE Santiago de Compostela and all of Galicia, I'M SURE!!

Saludos, MadridMan

I know everyone knows about this place, but I actually stayed at the Hostal dos Reis Catolicos in May. Costs a little more? maybe. Close to the cathedral? Definitely. Worth the price/story? Yes.

I think I posted elsewhere on the room specs, so will not do so here. Sufficeth to say, our two-night stay at the parador was an experience not to be forgotten. They've done things right at the parador, and if you can shell out a few extra euros, I recommend it.

BTW: I think the next time, I'll take up the recommendation of the "Hotel as Artes"...just to try something new. Thanks for the plug, CathyM.

And buseca, be careful about following in MadridMan's steps...they get a little wobbly and crooked after about 11:00 p.m.... :p

I went to Santiago with my parents last May and stayed 2 nights at the Hesperian Compostela (thanks to MadridMan's VERY detailed and helpful review of his trip). The hotel was very nice and conveniently located, though the rooms were not especially charming like in a Parador or smaller hotel. But, you can't beat the price! I used the Bancotel check system and paid only 1 check per night, in other words about $50 per night for a double room.

Ah, but let us not forget the five star Meliá Araguaney . In the central city, not far from Calle de Franco..with all those wonderful restaurants..and the cathedral.

Take the bus tour...the Santiago version of MadridVision. And don't forget to drink a lot of Albariño, an excellent white wine from that region. Also, for those made of sterner stuff we have aguardiente de Orujo, a Galician firewater worthy of any gentleman or gentlewoman's palate.